1. Technical Field
This invention relates to laser excitation by an adjacent or surrounding array of laser diodes, and to the structure and configuration of the array.
2. Background Information and Disclosure under 37 CFR 1.97-1.99
Excitation of a laser from an adjacent or surrounding array of laser diodes is known in the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,058 to Cabaret et al, issued Jul. 16, 1991, discloses a laser rod in a glass tube with a segmented reflective coating. Laser diodes placed around the glass tube emit through windows in the reflective coating to excite the laser rod.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,187 to Karpinski, issued Aug. 13, 1991 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,951 to Karpinski, issued Jul. 7, 1992 disclose flat laser diode arrays mounted in a ceramic substrate with a metallized surface. Current through the metallized surface energizes the laser diodes, which then excite an adjacent laser medium, not shown in the patents.
Related subject matter is also disclosed in a copending patent application Ser. No. 08/325,513, filed Feb. 1, 1995 and commonly assigned herewith. That copending patent application, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,521,936, issued May 28, 1996, discloses a radial array of laser diodes mounted in a segmented conductive ring surrounding a laser rod. An inner tube forms a coolant channel around the laser rod, and an outer sleeve forms a coolant channel around the ring and the laser diodes.